Thursday, March 5, 2020

Seavers in the News - Bookmaker Robert Seaver Dies in Massachusetts in 1922

It's time for another edition of "Seavers in the News" - a weekly feature from the historical newspapers about persons with the surname Seaver that are interesting, useful, mysterious, fun, macabre, or add information to my family tree database.

This week's entry is from The Boston [Mass.] Globe newspaper dated 5 May 1922:

The transcription of the article is:

"ROBERT SEAVER DIES AT HIS WAVERLEY HOME
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Founder and Head of Seaver-Howland Press
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Among Leading Authorities on Typographical Art in New England
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"WAVERLEY, May 4 --Robert Seaver, founder and president of the Seaver-Howland Press at Boston, died early today at his home, 154 Mill st., following a few days illness of pneumonia.  He was among the foremost authorities on typographical matters in New England and was prominent in the line of bookmaking as a leader in this art and work.

"Mr. Seaver was born 49 years ago, son of Edwin P. Seaver and Margaret Wiley (Cushing) Seaver of Cambridge.  His father, who died in 1917, was superintendent of the public schools of Boston from 1880 to 1904, when he retired.  Previous to that he was headmaster of the Boston English High School, from which Robert was graduated with the class of 1892.  Mr. Seaver was secretary of his class for a number of years and last year he was general secretary of the committee in charge of the Boston English High School centenary.

"Leaving school, he entered the employ of his uncle, Stearns Cushing of the Norwood Press, under whom he received practical training in the art and mechanical end of the printing business, as applied to books especially.  Later he became connected with the Riverside Press at Cambridge, remaining with that concern for about 16 years.  About nine years ago Mr. Seaver founded the Seaver-Howland Press.

"Mr. Seaver was a Mason, an Odd Fellow, and a member of the Boston City Club, and of the Boston Typothetae.

"He is survived by his wife, Mrs. Harriet W. (Spaulding) Seaver, and one daughter, Roberta Seaver; one sister and four brothers.

"The funeral will take place Saturday at 3, with services at the Unitarian church here."

The source citation is:

"Robert Seaver Dies at his Waverley Home," The Boston [Mass.] Globe newspaper, obituary, Friday, 5 May 1922, page 15, column 4, Robert Seaver obituaryNewspapers.com   (https://www.newspapers.com : accessed 5 March 2020).

Robert Seaver (1873-1922) is in my RootsMagic family tree.  He was born 23 April 1873 in Cambridge, Mass., the son of Edwin Pliny and Margaret Wiley (Cushing) Seaver.  He married Harriet Walton Spaulding (1874-1958) on 1 September 1897 in Waltham, Mass.  They had one daughter, Roberta Seaver (1906-1995).  

Robert Chauncey Seaver (1877-1945) is my 7th cousin 3 times removed.  

There are over 9,000 Seaver "stories" in my family tree - this was one of them.   Life happens, accidentally and intentionally, and sometimes an accomplished person dies relatively young.  I am glad that I can honor Robert Seaver today.

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Disclosure:  I have a complimentary subscription to Newspapers.com and have used it extensively to find articles about my ancestral and one-name families.




Copyright (c) 2020, Randall J. Seaver

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